Eleven Books One Should Have No Excuse Not To Read

Suppose you could ensure everyone in your nation had access to eleven fiction books, the library one should have no excuse not to read.

The Grapes of Wrath - this would be for the library shelf in the U.S. of A

edit: to add the country

Ok -

For The Best in Ancient Literature, because we should know what everyone is referencing: The Odyssey, Homer
For The Best Medieval Play, because it set up how drama is considered for centuries in the theater: Hamlet, Shakespeare
For The Best Early Novel, just because: Tom Jones, Fielding
For The Best Novel of Manners, as it is the essence of sparkling wit: Pride and Prejudice, Austen
For The Best Example of the Stupidities of Large Organizations, because learning this at 14 when I read it helped me deal with much of adult life: Catch-22 Heller
For The Best Example of Science Fiction Creating a Sense of Awe, because we should realize we are just one tiny part of this universe: Rendezvous With Rama, Clarke
For The Best Example of a Cozy Fantasy that Makes You Want to Imagine Bigger, Better things: The Hobbit, Tolkien
For The Best Example of a Tough Crime Novel, because life isn't always fair: The Maltese Falcon, Hammett
For The Best Example of Surviving Through Hellish Circumstances: To Kill a Mockingbird, Lee
For The Best Example of Pure Silliness in Print: Uncle Fred in the Springtime, Wodehouse
For The Best Novel about Men that Women Should Read: The Killer Angels, Shaara
For The Best Novel About Women that Men Should Read: Summer At Tiffany, Hart

...and that's 12, but that's ok :D

And Fahrenheit 451! As a warning against what a world without books will be like.

I agree with The Hobbit and The Grapes of Wrath.

Haven't read so many of the other recommendations, so I can't speak to them. But I would like to add The Great Gatsby

I'd add Lord of the Rings, though preferably read in addition to the Hobbit as Tolkien was quite literally the father of modern swords and sorcery type fantasy.

ugh...no one can make me read another Tolkien. The Hobbit was enough.

#11 - Philistine. *wink*

I'll have to come back later after I'm more awake, but I love most of what I'm seeing so far.

Great idea for a topic, Phocion.

1) Wreck of the River of Stars - Michael Flynn
2) The Planet Strappers - Raymond Z. Gallun
3) The Siege of Krishnapur - J. G. Farrell
4) The Moon is a Harsh Mistress - Robert A. Heinlein
5) Jerusalem Poker - Edward Whittemore
6) Last Call - Tim Powers
7) Wolf of the Steppes - Harold Lamb
8) The Cornelius Chronicles - Michael Moorcock
9) Merchanter's Luck - C. J. Cherryh
10) Peacock Spring - Rumer Godden
11) Lord of Light - Roger Zelazny

I have been asked why I chose the novels I chose for "Men to Read About Women" and "Women to Read about Men"

I chose The Killer Angels because, talking to my wife about the topic, my wife said to me that the most mysterious thing about men to her is how they behave in wartime, and how they can find any honor in it. I think this sorta-history/sorta-novel answers some of that. So she is starting to read that.

When she asked me what I find most mysterious about women, I said it is the way the friendships they form with each other are so incredibly important to them at many levels. She offered a couple of books that she read recently The Secret Life of Bees - which, reading the blurbs about it, makes it sound good but heavy, and one where the friendship is just part of a fun, silly, sparkling time Summer At Tiffany, and I chose that one because right now I want to read about silly things instead of painful ones.

Sherlock Holmes by Conan Doyle for mystery
Lord of the Rings by Tolkien for fantasy
Mr. Midshipman Hornblower by C.S. Forester for seafaring adventure
Regeneration by Pat Barker for the horrors of war
Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery for romance
Rendevous with Rama by Arthur C. Clarke for sci fi
Christmas Carol for Christmas, ghosts and Dickens
Leave it to Psmith by P.G. Wodehouse for humour
Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen for language, period interest, wonderful characters
Macbeth by Shakespeare for drama
Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne for childhood delight and whimsy

edited for double post :-P

The Great Gatsby and The Catcher in the Rye. Gatsby might be the Great American Novel.

#15 Those choices are way too interesting to be confined to a quick mention in a general thread - you've really set me thinking now. If I can eventually come up with my own suggestions and nobody else has started a purpose-built thread by then I might do so if that's okay with you, JPB. It'll take me weeks or even months probaly becasue I'm not sure I'm qualified to say what women should read about men so I'm going to have to canvas quite a few men of my own. I won't be suggesting anything about the two sexes coming from different planets though, don't worry.

I love JPB's choices in #5 but my list would be rather different.

The Dispossessed by Ursula LeGuin because it exposes two points of view with regard to possessions and wealth.
Downbelow Station by C.J. Cherryh because it shows the consequences of war on the lives of ordinary citizens.
The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins because it captures the voices of different personalities.
The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett because we all need to be encouraged to grow.
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte because every one needs to gain a sense of their own selfhood.
Morality Play by Barry Unsworth because it's just that good and because it illuminates the role of the ordinary human working in a group -- themes of hierarchy and cooperation.
To Kill A Mockingbird because it speaks to issues of justice and ethical behavior.
The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters because it's a great gothic ghost story that's really about class warfare.
Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier because it's a great gothic romance that is also about inequities.
Idylls of the King by Alfred, Lord Tennyson because of the language and images evoked.
The Acts of King Arthur and His Noble Knights so you can have a contrasting view of what Tennyson was talking about.

I reserve the right to modify the above at any time.

I love your choices JPB and jillmwo.

Booksloth and JPB, while I'm not all that interested in reading about men, I'd love to see what you come up with.